I recently have been having some MAJOR hair loss. I lose about 300-500 hairs a day (yes I am crazy and counted them twice). :-) I am 9 weeks pregnant and everyone kept telling me it was due to the hormones from my pregnancy. I went to the dermatologist today who told me I am suffering from Telogen Effluvium. It has been going on now for 4 weeks. She did not think the hair loss was due to the pregnancy but rather from low back steroid injections from March and May of this past year (about 4-6 months ago). Could this be? I really need some help here on what to do from people who have had this condition. It is coming out in clumps and I feel like I am going bald! I Cry every time i wash my hair. It is the most horrific thing anyone can imagine to see your long beautiful hair fall out. I should probably mention that my blood work (thyroid, vitamin levels, etc) all came back within the normal range so there is nothing to worry about there. I am just limited on what I can do since I am pregnant. Anything I can use or take that is safe? Will the loss stop? How long? Will my hair come back? Am i going bald? So many questions! HELP PLEASE! :-( Will I go back to normal every again?

I was hoping you could update me on your hair loss story - did it stop, and when? How long did it go on for? Did you have bald spots? I am 7 months pregnant, and have been losing my hair for the past 5 months. I feel the same as you did, I'm traumatized, showering is torture and makes me cry.

I went to a dermatologist who said telogen effluvium, however my case is unique, as I had surgery 3 months prior to becoming pregnant. However my derm said that the pattern of the hair loss indicates hormonal hair loss.

I'm terrified I will lose most of it before my shower in a month. It's been 5 months and I feel it is just as bad as it was 2 months ago. My levels are all normal, except for my hormone levels of course (which are normal for a pregnant lady).

Please let me know how your story developed. I've been trying for some time now to find someone with a story similar to mine, and yours seems to be the best I've found. Thanks in advance for any help or words of advice.

[Hi there! First I totally understand how you feel and it is such a horrible feeling. I would cry and cry and cry whenever I would shower or even brush my hair. I only washed my hair 2 times per week and took extremely good care of it. I am now 29 weeks pregnant and as of 3 weeks ago....it has stopped! It went on from August through January (6 months) and i did lose ALOT of hair. But.....the good news is....I didnt lose it all! :-) I did get one bald spot on the crown of my head in the middle where i was parting it so I just changed the part for a bit and now it seems to be growing back. While the bald spot was there I bought a powder cover up and used that so it looked like hair was there. I rarely need that anymore due to the hair growing back in. THANK GOD! My hair is thinner but only noticeable to me. My husband did notice it as it was happening and did notice the bald spot on the top of my head but just the other day he complimented how good my hair was looking and growing! I am 35 by the way...not sure if that has anything to do with it. I also cut my hair to my shoulders just to make it feel and look a bit thicker. It helped with my self consciousness of it. I know it is very upsetting and frustrating! I lived through it! I understand it. But I promise you it will get better! I am not losing a normal amount daily sometimes less. But at my worst i was losing about 300-500 (and yes I counted it) :-)

I was hoping you could update me on your hair loss story - did it stop, and when? How long did it go on for? Did you have bald spots? I am 7 months pregnant, and have been losing my hair for the past 5 months. I feel the same as you did, I'm traumatized, showering is torture and makes me cry.

I went to a dermatologist who said telogen effluvium, however my case is unique, as I had surgery 3 months prior to becoming pregnant. However my derm said that the pattern of the hair loss indicates hormonal hair loss.

I'm terrified I will lose most of it before my shower in a month. It's been 5 months and I feel it is just as bad as it was 2 months ago. My levels are all normal, except for my hormone levels of course (which are normal for a pregnant lady).

Please let me know how your story developed. I've been trying for some time now to find someone with a story similar to mine, and yours seems to be the best I've found. Thanks in advance for any help or words of advice.[/QUOTE]

Thank you so much for your reply. It gives me hope. I hope I'm able to have mine stop at 6 months.

When yours stopped did it slow down first, slow down then pick up then slow down until it stopped? I thought it slowed down twice already only to have it pick up again, which is absolutely devastatingly depressing.

I just hate how much this is taking away from my pregnancy experience. I will now always associate it with hair loss.

I have that same powder stuff haha. My shower is exactly at my 6 month mark, so that sucks. Im 32 years old.

It was on and off toward the end. One day I would only lose about 150 hairs when I thought it was first stopping and then the next time I showered I lost like 200+. I kept a journal of the numbers of hairs lost so I could see it decreasing over time. I only counted on hair wash days. My doc had told me it was from one of two things. Either the stress of my recent wedding last June or a steroid back injection that I received. Not sure which one did it but I am so happy it stopped! I know it is frustrating but it will stop. I thought it was never ending. My husband was so sick of hearing me complain and cry about it. I kept it in baggies and dated the baggies to see if it was increasing or decreasing. It is such a horrible experience. Just remember.....other probably cant notice it. Some of my best friends who I told the problem too would reassure me that it was not noticeable to others but only to myself. My hair is definitely still thinner than before but hopefully in a year or two that will all grow back in. I used to have pretty thick hair. Another thing my doc told me to was wait at least one full year in between kids which wont be a problem for us. She said if you have a child on top of the one you just had, sometimes it does not grow back. So I will give it 2 years to be safe. :-)